Settlers: 1780

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~ ROCHESTER'S HISTORY ~
AN ILLUSTRATED TIMELINE

SETTLERS: 1780 - 1822

1780

1790

1800

1810

1820

The returning soldiers from Gen. Sullivan's campaign told their families in New England about the rich lands they had seen in the Genesee Valley. The migration west was slow starting, but the settlers increased in numbers continuously.

1784

Tryon County renamed Montgomery County in honor of the American General who died attempting to take Quebec.

1786

Hartford Convention ends ambiguity over the 'treaty line' that defined New York's western boundary, by extending ownership to Lake Erie. The convention also established the preemption line as the division between New York and Massachusetts. This line runs due north from the mile stone marked 82 on the New York-Pennsylvania state line to Lake Ontario, passing just east of Geneva. Because both New York and Massachusetts could legally claim ownership of the land west of the line, a compromise was agreed to: New York would govern the area , but Massachusetts would own the land.

1788

Elkana Watson proposes opening natural waterways allowing navigation from Mohawk River to Wood Creek, to Oneida Lake, to the Oswego River an then to Lake Ontario.
Newly acquired lands become part of Montgomery County.
The town of Whites Town is created by New York legislature. Whites Town contains today's Monroe County.
Oliver Phelps, the first Judge of Ontario County (1787-1783), and Nathaniel Gorham, President of the Continental Congress purchase from Massachusetts the western end of New York State, with the condition that they obtain the rights from the Seneca Indians. (The 1788 deed said that the land belonged to Massachusetts, but the Supreme Court later said the land was part of New York.) They agree to pay Massachusetts one million dollars for all the land west of Seneca Lake, 6.25 million acres. Money problems force them to sell the western portion to the Holland Land Co. and the Pulteney Estates Co. At the treaty of Buffalo Creek Phelps and Gorham gain title from the Senecas to the remaining eastern portion, 2.6 million acres of land. (This plot extends from Sodus Bay on the east, to 12 miles beyond the Genesee on the west (44 miles) and from Lake Ontario on the North to Tioga Point PA on the south (90 miles). Payment to the Six Nations Indian Confederation, were $5,000 cash and $500 annual payments. Phelps talked the Indians out of an additional 200,000 acre plot west of the Genesee for a saw and gristmill site. The Indians never received more than a couple of the annual payments.
Seneca Allen is the first white child born in what will become Rochester, Feb. 18, 1788.

1789

The preemption line becomes the western boundary of Ontario County.
Ganson's Mills opens in Avon, first grist mill in area (Before 'Indian' Allen by a few months.) First crop of buckwheat milled came from Jared Boughton of Boughton Hill, Victor.
Ebenezer 'Indian' Allen builds a mill in exchange for a 100-acre tract at The Falls on the west bank of the river. The location was so deep in the wilderness that only 12 men were in the area to assist in the mill's construction. The location is a swamp infested with rattlesnakes and is known to breed 'Swamp Fever', a killer illness. This mosquito borne disease we know today as malaria.
John Lusk, his son Stephen, and a hired man, Seely Peet bring a small heard of cattle to Indian Landing from Massachusetts by a long and very arduous journey. They build a cabin and clear 12 acres. They abandon the site.
Enos Stone and others from Massachusetts settle in the Brighton area

1790

James and William Wadsworth buy 6000 acres along the Genesee from Phelps and Gorham.
Lusk returns with his family and others to Indian Landing
Orringh Stone builds his house at the intersection of two trails, one coming south from Irondequoit Bay, and the other connecting Canandaigua to the Falls of the Genesee. The house was remodeled prior to 1820 becoming a tavern.
First deed issued in what will be Monroe County to Samuel Latta.
'Swamp Fever ' kills six at Kings Landing. Settlement is abandoned.
Area's oldest cemetery opens, Lake Ave., at Eastman Ave. Mrs. Elizabeth Hazleton Fish is the first person buried in the cemetery, she died in March of the fever. The cemetery still survives with stones placed upright, but the exact grave sites are unknown.

1791

William Walker first settler north of Ridge Road area, fled to Canada after problems here.
William Hincher settles in Charlotte

1792

With no settlers, and no demand for mills, Indian Allen sells the100-acre tract and mill to Benjamin Barton, Sr., Allen abandons the area the for Mount Morris, and then Canada. The property is sold several more times.
District of Northfield established. Comprises area that will be Monroe County west of the Genesee River.
William and Mehitabel Hincher, and their seven children move into a log cabin that they had built the previous summer. The Hinchers were the first permanent white settlers along the lake shore between the Genesee River and Fort Niagara.

1793

Population of western New York is 7,000
Nancy Sheffer, first white child born between Niagara and Genesee rivers. January 20

1794

First school in Monroe County is built a mile south of Northfield, in today's Pittsford.
Louis Phillippe, future King of France tours area.

1795

Aaron Burr detours from trip to Niagara Falls to see the Falls of the Genesee.

1796

Oliver Culver settles at Irondequoit Landing.
Gideon King and Elijah Kent come in October from Suffield, Massachhusetts, to inspect the landing below the lower falls.
Canal project has moved navigation from Schenectady 184 miles to Seneca Falls. Locks are made of wood, then brick, and finally of stone.

1797

Salmon Tryon buys 420 acres from John Lusk for £200.
Gideon King and Zadok Granger each purchase 3,000 acres. Kings Landing, later called Hanford's Landing, is laid out on west bank of the river just below the lower falls. Twenty-five men then built a road down to the old Indian landing on the river. They also cut a road from the landing to Indian Allen's Mill at the High Falls. King tears down the abandoned mill and replaces it with a new house. Five other log cabins are built. The settlers return to Massachusetts, pick up their families, and return to Kings Landing before winter.
First schooner, the 'Jemima', built on Genesee River.
Lake Avenue cut from Upper Falls to the lake. In later years sections of the road are given different names:

Mill Street - South of Main Street.
Carroll Street - North of Main Street to Mumford
State Street - Mumford to the Deep Hollow (Lorimer Street)
Charlotte Road - From Lorimer Street to the lake

Dugway cut to river.

1798

First schooner, the 'Jemima', built on Genesee River at Kings Landing by Eli Granger and Abner Migells. A wharf and warehouse are also built. While looking for timber for the schooner Eli Granger explores The Ridge to the Niagara River
Gideon King dies of the fever.

1799

John Tryon buys land from Salmon Tryon (they may be brothers, or not related, records are not clear) for £400. Tryon City founded near Indian Landing on an ancient Indian trail, in present Ellison Park. A store, blacksmith's shop, shoe factory, distillery, tavern, tannery, large gristmill, shipyard, school, and a five story log warehouse are all built. Augustus Griswold brings five sleigh loads of merchandise. But trade was all going through the Upper Falls area, and Tryon never grew. Site was abandoned in 1818.
Zadock Granger dies of the fever.
Thomas King fearing the fever moves his family three miles away on The Ridge.

1800

Ridge Road cut west from the river for twelve miles.
February 24, John Fish born, first white child born at Rochester's location.
Col. Rochester makes his first trip into the area from Maryland, makes it as far as Avon.
Oliver Culver, returns from Vermont, and starts first permanent settlement at head of Irondequoit Bay.
The Hinchers pay $1.64 in state taxes on their 627 acres.

1801

New York divides each county into towns. Ontario has 19 towns. Bloomfield, Hartfield, Northfield, and Northampton are in today's Monroe County. Northfield would eventually split to become Brighton, Henrietta, Irondequoit, Penfield, Perinton, Pittsford, Webster, and the city east of the river.
Charlotte established on west side of river at Lake Ontario as a trading center. Hartford contains Rush and Avon. Bloomfield included Mendon, Victor, East Bloomfield, West Bloomfield. Northampton was all state land west from the center of the river to Canaseraga Creek, and from there south to Pennsylvania. This line was also known as the 'Indian Line', dividing civilization from indian territories.

1802

Northampton splits to become Genesee County to ease problems of governing Ontario County.

1803

Col. Nathaniel Rochester, Col. Wm. Fitzhugh, and Major Charles Carroll purchase a 100 acre tract on west side of river at falls. It took them 4 years to pay $1,750 for the land. Last annual payment of $350 made on June 7 1808, and they received the deed Nov. 18, 1811. The location was not immediately popular, it was largely swamp with dense forest, and 'swamp fever' (malaria).
Flood carries away 'Indian ' Allen's sawmill, the first building in the 100-acre tract.
Elijah Kent dies of the feaver at King's Landing.

1804

Canandaigua merchants widen an Indian trail to form a ox-cart road to the mouth of the Genesee. This was called Merchants Rd, and today's road with that name follows the same general route. The original indian path went around obstacles, while the current road is much more direct.
Col. Isaac Castle, and James Wadsworth establish Castletown, two miles above the falls, at the rapids that end the navigable section of the river. Located on the west side of river, opposite the University of Rochester, River Campus. A major Indian trail coming from Ohio also crossed the river at this point and is today Elmwood Ave. The majority of its population is riverboat men and eventually 'canallers'. Their rough lifestyle gave the community a notorious reputation. The men lay out Rapids Cemetery for Castletown, it is located on Congress Ave.
Ridge Road extended to Parma Corners.
Charlotte has one north-south street, with two homes, and a population of 13. Half of the land is owned by William Hincher.
Simon King dies of the fever.

1805

First recorded flood of the Genesee
Oliver Culver's house was built as a tavern (actual construction was in stages from 1805 to 1818) and is considered to be the 'best example of Post Colonial architecture in the Genesee Valley', with the entrance said to be one of the most successful designs in the American Colonies.
Charlotte established as Port of Entry by U.S. Congress
Samuel Latta appointed Custom's Agent for the Port of Genesee by President Thomas Jefferson. Latta was also the local agent for Pulteney Estates, and was selling lots for $10 each.
First year's revenue for the Port of Genesee $22.50

1806

Southhampton is renamed Caledonia

1807

First mill at Frankfort, owned by Charles Herford, site was later Pheonix Mill.

1808

State directs Surveyor General Simeon DeWitt to survey route for a canal between the Hudson River and Lake Erie.
District of Northfield changes name to Boyle.
Hartford renamed Avon
Northampton divides to become Murray, Parma, Riga and Northampton
$100,000 in wheat, pork, and whisky pass through the Port of Genesee.

1809

Carthage settled on the east bank of Genesee just below the Lower Falls, opposite King's Landing. Later called Brewers Dock, or the 1000 Acre Tract. First settler was Caleb Lyon, soon followed by Elisha Strong and others. Plot was from the Ridge, South to present Clifford Ave., one mile wide along the river. Brewer's Dock was located in the gorge at the end of Brewer St. Center of commerce with Canada and the west. Specialized in shipping and shipbuilding. Carthage had taverns, stores, a school, and mills. Local wildlife includes deer, bear, and wolves. A 150 pound sturgeon is caught in the river.
The seven Hanford brothers move from Rome. The settle on Landing Road and open a tavern.
The launch from the sixteen gun American brig 'Oneida' (built, and just launched in Oswego) attempt to sail to the Niagara River, meets strong head winds and can not pass The Devil's Nose, just west of Hamlin Beach State Park. Returning east they enter Gerundergutt (Irondequoit Bay), and stay the night. The next day, again encountering bad weather they venture up the Genesee River until stopped by the Lower Falls. Finding a cabin they are able to buy food, which they desperately need. Four days after their initial attempt they are able to continue on, arriving at Fort Niagara on July Fourth. This trip by Lt. Woolsey, Midshipman (and later author) James Fenimore Cooper and four seamen is the first movement of men from an American man-of-war on the Great Lakes. Cooper later used this experience as the basis for portions of his novel 'The Pathfinder'. Lt. Woolsey commanded the American naval forces during the early portion of the War of 1812. Woolsey's experience offset the superior British forces, and he was able to hold them until the arrival of Captain Chauncy in October.

1800-1815

Several other small settlements spring up with hopes that they will find the right people, assets, and luck to become the dominant community in the area. Only Brighton and Charlotte have not been annexed into Rochester.

Dublin

East of the river, centered at Gorham and St. Paul St. An Irish neighborhood, barrel making was the area's only industry

Corn Hill

West of Exchange St., between Troup St. and Plymouth Park. Named for the corn fields that covered the hill, was a landmark to early river men, warning of the approaching falls.

Bull's Head

At junction of Main St. West and Genesee St. Named for the Bulls Head Tavern that was located at the intersection.

McCrackenville

Intersection of Lake and Driving Park, above the Lower Falls. This settlement was named for the family that owned the property at the cross roads.

Brighton

Intersection of East and Winton Ave. Named for the town in England.

1810

Penfield splits from Boyle
State pays to build a wooden bridge over the river at Main St.
March, Enos Stone, Jr. builds a 14x18 shanty, located between East Main and Court Street, where he and his wife live. May 4th, James S. Stone is born.
Road cut from Charlotte to Arkport (Route 15)
Frederick Hansford opens a store, changing King's Landing to Hansford's Landing.
Able Rowe opens tavern at Ridge Road and Long Pond.
Utter's Ferry crosses river at Charlotte.
First use of the name 'Charlotte' on a deed.

There are two version on the origin of the name. On the death of Sir William Pulteney, his estate went to his daughter who died three years later. Her American holdings went to her cousin Sir John Johnstone of

Scotland, and the settlement was named after his wife Charlotte. The second, and more popular version is that the name came from the daughter of Robert Troup, the Pulteney family's attorney, and agent for the sale of their American property until his death in 1832.

Jonathan Child and Benjamin Gardner, merchants from Bloomfield, open a store, shipping produce to Montreal.

1811

City laid out, first lots sold.
Henry Skinner buys lot Number one, on present site of Powers Building.
Skinner sells the lot to Hamlet Scrantom, contracting to build a cabin on the lot while Scrantom returns to Connecticut for his wife, four sons and two daughters.
East Avenue cut through forest from Orighn Stone's House towards the river. Col. Rochester arrives complaining that road is being cut towards the High Falls, and not the lower falls upstream (where his property lies) as was the plan. The road was turned westward, to intersect the river at the Main Street Bridge, then under construction, and continued to it's western end at Bull's Head.
Oliver Culver builds a 47 ton schooner 'Clarissa' on Clover St. near East Ave., It takes 26 yoke of oxen to drag it to Irondequoit Bay.
First hotel at the mouth of the Genesee is built by Erastus Spaulding. Spaulding also built the schooner Isabel there. The Isabel was later captured by the British.

1812

Population 15
Canal Commission borrows $5,000,000 to improve internal navigation of the state. War of 1812 stops work.
October 12, early morning raid captures schooner from dock. There is no resistance, but there is a report of a cannon being fired.
13 British ships approach Charlotte. 33 local militia fake a larger force, and refuse to surrender. Fleet sends an officer in a boat to negotiate, but no British are allowed to land.
Gideon Cobb clears forest for North and Monroe Streets. This takes him four years.
Rochester Post Office established, Abelard Reynolds postmaster.

A weekly mail was established between Rochester and Canandaigua. The rider was normally Mrs.Dunham

First blacksmith shop opened by James Carter
Enos Stone and his family move from a small shanty into their new cabin. The Scrantom family arrive on May 1st. Henry Skinner has not finished building their cabin, so they were forced to move into the only available structure, Enos Stone's shanty on the other side of the river. Their cabin is finished 60 days later, with a mud chimney, not the stone or brick one, as specified in the contract. The Scrantom's celebrate their new home with a bonfire, and move in on July 4th. This was the first permanent residence in the 100-acre tract, and was located at the present site of the Powers Building .
Orringh Stone builds house (Stone-Tolan house) at intersection of two trails, one coming south from Irondequoit Bay, and the other connecting Canandaigua to the Falls of the Genesee.
Frankfort, a settlement north of 100-acre tract, centered on State and Brown St. Brown's millrace was community's most valuable asset.
Dr. Hunt of Kings Landing performs first surgical operation, on Delia Scrantom's broken ankle.
Perinton splits from Boyle. Perinton has remained unchanged since this time (May 26, 1812) and is thus the oldest town in the county, but by just minutes. The town of Mendon was established later the same day.
Mendon and Victor split from Bloomfield.
Northampton finally disappears, changing it's name to Gates.
Main St. Bridge built by the state at a cost of $12,000. It is the only crossing for 20 miles. Opponents to the bridge say there is no one there to cross it.
Scrantom family moves out of the cabin, December 12

1813

Indians celebrate the 'Sacrifice of the White Dog' for the last time in Livingston Park.
June 16, British troops under Commodore Yeo fire on troops at Charlotte. When they flee, 150 British land from six vessels and capture two schooners, and government provisions including 600 barrels of flour and pork. They also take a boat loaded with 1200 bushels of grain. Eighty militia arrive the next day from Penfield, but the British were gone. Legend says the warehouse clerk was given a receipt for the goods taken by the ever proper British officer. The fleet sails for Sodus, and captures six hundred barrels of flour and pork.
British fleet is becalmed off the Charlotte shore. Area residents fearing another attack gather to fight, but a raising breeze brings the American fleet under Commodore Chauncey. There is a running fight that lasts three hours, with the British escaping by out sailing the Americans. The longer range of the American guns allow them to harass the British with out risk. The fight ends when the British take cover in Amherst Bay. The Americans can not follow as they do not have charts for the bay. British losses were a midshipman and three seamen killed, seven wounded. Americans suffered no losses.
Many settlers leave the area fearing both British invasion, and the swamp sickness.
First public transportation, an ox cart goes from Rochesterville to Indian Landing, twice a week.
Huldah Strong opens first school on Fitzhugh St. Headmaster was Aaron Skinner.
Dr. Jonah Brown is the first physician to settle here.
Abelard Reynolds builds a two-story frame house on the site of Arcade. The first post office was in this house.
State authorizes $5,000 to cut a road, and build bridges along The Ridge to Lewiston. Fears during the War of 1812 require that provisions and supplies be more readily brought to Fort Niagara.
Boyle changes name to Smallwood
Murray splits into Bergen, Murray and Sweden.

1814

Smallwood splits to become Brighton and Pittsford
First schoolhouse built at site of Board of Education Building.
Mortimer Reynolds born, first white child on west side of river, February 2
Gideon Cobb paid a yoke of oxen for clearing a three rod road where State Street is today
A four pound, and a eighteen pound cannon are transported from Canandaigua by 17 oxen to help defend the port.
May 14, Hearing of an attack on Oswego, residents prepare for an attack. They build an earthwork called "Fort Bender" on River Road (Lake Ave.) just above the Lower Falls, to prevent British crossing Deep Hollow. 13 British ships approach Charlotte and send an officer in a boat threatening to send a force of 400 Indians unless public property is surrendered. The 33 local militia under Col. Isaac Stone, Captain. Francis Brown & Captain. Elisha Ely, fake a larger force by marching in and out of the woods giving the appearance of a huge army gathering. The bluff works, and no British are allowed to land, but several cannon shots are fired from small gunboat. Gen. Porter arrived the next afternoon with 600 militia, and refused a second demand for supplies. The fleet departed.

1815

First census taken, population 331,
First Presbyterian Church is first religious organization to form in the area. The 16 members hold their meetings in a room over a tailor's shop.
Oct. 8, First wedding - Delia Scrantom to Jethiel Barnard.
First shipment of flour sent to Montreal. From this shipment until the wheat fields of the Great Plains were developed, Rochester would lead the world in the production and export of flour.
Stage coach line to Canandaigua.
Mail arrives three times a week. Weekly delivery to Lewiston.
Buffalo Road extended to Batavia.
The Ridge Hotel opened at Lake Avenue.
Court Street laid out by Elisha Johnson. The street was renamed Pittsford Street in 1820, and Monroe Avenue in 1835.
Henry Skinner re-acquires Lot Number One and starts to convert the cabin into a two-story tavern. Dr. Azel Ensworth buys the unfinished tavern from Skinner.

1816

Rochesterville is the smallest, and least promising of all the settlements in the area.
Hanford's Landing founded, one mile north of Carthage on west bank, also called Kings Landing is the main port on the river. Settlement abandoned after 'Genesee Fever' (Malaria) kills many. Hansford Landing Cemetery is located on the edge of the gorge, across Lake Ave. from Kodak Park.
A. G. Dauby publishes first newspaper, 'The Weekly Gazette'.
About one hour travel time by wagon on log road from Oliver Culver's house to Rochesterville
Cotton mill opens with 1,392 spindles.
Canal project revived.

1817

Population 700.
Brown brothers, with adjoining 200 acre plot of Frankfort agree to street plan and are joined to the One Hundred Acre Plot forming the Village of Rochesterville, chartered with 655 acres
Elisha Johnson sets aside Washington Square from his 80 acre plot for the village's first park. Located between South and Court St. and Monroe and Clinton Ave.
Johnson and Seymour Dam built to provide water for raceways to power mills on both side of river at present Court St. River elevation is set at 503.2 feet.
Erie Canal Bill signed
The 'Ontario', the first steamboat to navigate the Great Lakes, enters the Port of Rochester.
After William's death, Mehetable Hincher sells three and one third acres to the U.S. Government for $400.00. Site was selected for the construction of a lighthouse.
Volunteer Fire Company formed with 26 members.
Mansion House open's, Rochester's first tavern.
Parma divides into Parma and Odgen.
Manitou Road connects Ridge Road to Lyell Avenue.
During construction of the Johnson-Seymour Mill race a workman with his horse and wagon fell in the river. Col. Rochester donates use of one half acre to the village for burials where East and Gibbs Streets intersect. This location was used as a cemetery for years, but the site was never owned by the village.

1817-1825

Construction of the Erie Canal. Original canal is 363 miles long, 28 ' wide, 4' deep. Traveling night and day the boats could travel 80 miles in 24 hours. Fare with all expenses was 4 cents per mile.

1818

Henrietta splits from Pittsford, and Rush splits from Avon.
Henrietta passes a law forbidding pigs to run loose, $.50 per animal fine.
Col. Nathaniel Rochester and his family move to Rochesterville from Dansville.
Port of Rochester earns $380,000.
The large two-story frame Ensworth Hotel is completed. The Scrantom cabin was moved to the back of the lot and used as a stable. The hotel was later enlarged by the addition of a third floor, that included the first public hall. The hotel was the social center of the village, and was used for meetings, concerts, lectures, and ball room. The third floor hall was the location of the first County Court sessions from May 1821 until the Courthouse was built in September 1822.
Phoenix Mill fire

1819

The second bridge to cross the river, was a toll bridge built by Samuel Andrews near the brink of the Upper Falls. This bridge was 22 feet wide with 3 inch thick planks.
Original Court Street Bridge built of planks.
The Carthage Bridge is built at the approximate site of the Driving Park Bridge. This bridge was the highest wooden arch ever built, 718' long 30' wide and 196' above the river, and was described as one of the wonders of the world. Built between May 1818 and February 16, 1819 it required the labor of 22 men, and weighed 200 tons (69,513 feet of pine timber) using 800 iron bolts. It was built in two stages; first, cantilevered frameworks were built from each shore, meeting in a pointed over the center of the gorge. When this was completed, it was used as the supporting structure during the construction of the actual bridge. When the great Roman arch was finished, the supporting gothic arch was dismantled. The Carthage Bridge was guaranteed to stand for a year.
A 'Village Night Watch' is hired. The job pays $80.00 a year.
The Erie Canal route is surveyed through Rochester by Thomas Hutchinson.

More established towns of Geneva, Canandaigua, Avon, and Batavia, fight for a route farther south. This would benefit them, but a survey of that route reveals that it would meander around hills, making the canal longer. Plus, the water required to feed the canal would drain all the local streams, stopping their mills.

Clarkson splits from Murray.
First printing press brought from east. In route, the bottom of the wagon fell out, droping the boxes of type. The boxes were found near Oneida Castle by Indians who thought they contained coins. The type eventually reaches Rochester, but there is no printer to set-up the equiptment. A printer is eventually found, painting a house. Not long after going into operation, the building, and all it's contents were destroyed by fire.

1820

Population 1,502 - first United States Census.
Carthage Bridge collapses under it's own weight, May 22, after 15 months. While it stood it drew trade and traffic.
Carthage changes name to Clyde.
St. Luke's Episcopal Church built.
Susan B. Anthony born February 15
An average of 15 schooners and 2 steamboats enter the Port of Rochester each week during the busy season, totaling 316 ships during the year.
2 acres purchased for $100 at Monroe and Alexander to become the first official village burial grounds. The first lots were sold for a period of 500 years.
Bodies from East and Gibbs Cemetery were transferred to a common pit in the Monroe and Alexander Cemetery.

1821

Population 2,100
Monroe County separated from Genesee and Ontario Counties. Rochesterville becomes the County Seat.

First deed recorded in Monroe County.

First Courthouse built, using stone quarried on the spot.
Construction of the Erie Canal Aqueduct at the site of an Indian ford starts July 17, 1822, and is completed Nov. 11 1823. It was built by 30 convicts from Auburn Prison. Span is 804 feet long, had eleven arches, and is constructed of cut stone. The waterway is seventeen feet wide, four feet deep and twenty nine feet wide overall. Built at a cost of $83,000. Building the canal to cross over the Genesee was considered an engineering marvel, and one of the biggest obstacles to the canal's completion. Towpath is on north side. Aqueduct is so narrow only one boat can cross. Boats fight over right of way -- men are pushed overboard, and tow ropes to mules are cut.
First Presbyterian Church builds a small wooden church on State St.
Caledonia changes it's name to Inverness, then Wheatland.

1822

Feeder Canal is built on east side of the river from the site of University of Rochester's chapel to the intersection of Mt Hope and South Ave. This canal brought water to feed the canal and bypassed the rapids. This eliminated the need for cargo to be transferred, ending the usefulness of Castletown which was eventually absorbed into Rochester.
Dams are built at Honeoye Lake, Canadice Lake, Hemlock Lake and Conesus Lake to store water for use by the canal. This water supply was no longer needed in 1825 when the canal could use Lake Erie as a source. The dams were abandoned to private users.
7000 bushels of wheat received at Carthage and transferred to Rochester.
Oliver Culver of Brighton, builds the first packet boat built in this area. It is the fourth on the Erie Canal
First canal boat of flour leaves for Little Falls, October, 29.
The stone Lighthouse tower and a two room house for the keeper are built close to the lake on a bluff above the marsh. The forty foot tower is equipped with ten whale oil lamps. The lighthouse replaced a strong lamp placed in the top of the U. S. Tavern on Stutson St. and two lamps placed in large 'pilot trees' growing on the Charlotte and Irondequoit shores. David Denman, the first lighthouse keeper, dies in less than a year and is replaced by Giles H. Holden.

Chili splits from Riga, Greece splits from Gates.
First sidewalks are four feet wide, on both sides of Buffalo, Carroll, Exchange, Hauge, and Sophia Streets. They are protested by tax payers as an extravagant public improvement.
Enos Stone, Jr's shanty is moved to an open 12 acre lot near Chestnut Street. Eventually other streets were laid out around it, until it was located at the back of the lot at 53 Elm Street. This structure was located and identified in 1879. At that time it was being used for the storage of waste, and some children were using it as a kennel for rabbits. It has since been destroyed.
Spring House built. The tavern is located at the intersection of the Erie Canal and the road connecting Rochester with Pittsford. Servicing both Canal and stage coach travelers, it became a health spa, featuring it's Sulfur Spring when traffic declined.